Top Performers: Booker T. Washington at Newman

ESPN2 visited New Orleans last week for much of the nation’s introduction to the next member of one of football’s so-called royal families. Sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, the grandson of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, led his Newman team into one of its toughest matchups of the season. Booker T. Washington, led by Arizona commitment [player_tooltip player_id="63565" first="Tyrese" last="Johnson"], battled the Greenies back and forth early before the youngest Manning and company were able to pull away for the 55-22 victory. That duo was among a long list of standouts who excelled in the national spotlight. <strong>2021 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63646" first="Sterling" last="Scott"] — 5-10, 175 DB — Newman</strong> The young Manning drew the ESPN cameras to New Orleans, and Arch made the publicity worth the network’s while. But his senior teammate was arguably the player of the game. The Harvard commitment’s pick-six helped spark his Greenies’ pull-away. Scott finished with a pair of interceptions and rushed seven times for 87 yards and a pair of scores on offense. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Harvard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Harvard</a> commit [player_tooltip player_id="63646" first="Sterling" last="Scott"] (<a href="https://twitter.com/ss_2_crucial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ss_2_crucial</a>) was *ALL* over this play.... and can’t help but have a little fun with his nationally televised moment to ball. <a href="https://t.co/HwHUxvSArA">pic.twitter.com/HwHUxvSArA</a></p> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1316916043592404992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Joseph Pleasant — 5-8, 210 RB — Newman</strong> The stocky wrecking-ball runner of a senior provided the thunder to the lightning of Scott and the passing game with Newman’s tough, between-the-tackles yardage on the ground, including a pair of goal-line touchdowns. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63565" first="Tyrese" last="Johnson"] — 6-2, 190 WR — Booker T. Washington</strong> The Arizona wide receiver commitment spent a large portion of his time at quarterback, rather than starter Esco Bickham. And Booker T. Washington appeared to have more success keeping up with Newman with that more run-heavy look while possible to stick with it. His winding 40-yard keeper for a score was among the night’s most impressive plays. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arizona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Arizona</a> commit [player_tooltip player_id="63565" first="Tyrese" last="Johnson"] (<a href="https://twitter.com/reseagoat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@reseagoat</a>) is so ridiculous in any kind of space 😂</p> He just glides through and around dudes like everyone else is in slow-motion. <a href="https://t.co/m7nhExCgfZ">pic.twitter.com/m7nhExCgfZ</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1316926113080397825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Keith Hampton — 5-11, 176 DB — Booker T. Washington</strong> The Mannings may be as excited for the senior safety to graduate in the spring as his own family. Hampton intercepted Newman’s young quarterback twice, including a 75-yard pick-six, to add to his three interceptions from a year ago. The Lions’ veteran now has five of Arch’s eight interceptions in the first season and a half of his high school career. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63672" first="Coryell" last="Pierce"] — 5-11, 175 ATH — Booker T. Washington</strong> The under-the-radar prospect made an impact in all three phases, including a two-point conversion run to give Booker T. Washington an early lead and showing his speed and physicality throughout the night on defense and special teams. Southeastern Louisiana recently became his first offer, with more likely on the way for one of the leaders of a talented Lions group. Johnson and the New Orleans area’s three other Arizona commitments talk about Pierce as one of the other local athletes they most hope can join them out west. <strong>2022 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>A.J. Johnson — 6-3, 200 WR — Newman</strong> What a night for one of Louisiana’s top 2022 prospects. Johnson sat out his sophomore year after transferring from Eleanor McMain, but remained hard at work on his body and his game during that break. The rewards have been on display throughout the season’s early weeks, including a memorable Thursday highlighted by an LSU offer and a 13-yard touchdown catch. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Arch Manning. A.J. Johnson. Touchdown.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PRETTY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PRETTY</a> <a href="https://t.co/CsneevHN0P">pic.twitter.com/CsneevHN0P</a></p> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1316929817892294658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Bo Bordelon — 6-5, 250 OL/DL — Newman</strong> Another of Louisiana’s top 2022 prospects showed his ability on both sides of the ball Thursday, protecting Manning from the left tackle position and also making plays near and behind the line of scrimmage to help lead the defense. <strong>2023 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>Arch Manning — 6-3, 190 QB — Newman</strong> The sophomore star certainly did not disappoint. Manning looked poised as always all evening, completing 21 of 27 attempts for 241 yards and three total scores, including a beautiful 13-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, moving to his left to buy enough time to find Johnson across the middle of the field. Manning was already heavily on everyone’s radar as a rare freshman starter for Newman. And a growth spurt and offseason of heavy film study have only fueled further progress in his game. <strong>Will Randle — 6-3, 220 TE/DL— Newman</strong> Randle, like Bordelon, made plays on both sides of the ball Thursday night, catching a couple of passes from Manning on offense and chasing Johnson and Bickham to disrupt Booker T. Washington. <strong>Arnold Barnes — 5-10, 190 RB — Booker T. Washington</strong> The sophomore is built more stocky and physical, but flashed enough speed Thursday on his second carry to go 51 yards to the end zone for an early Lions lead. He finished with 145 yards on 13 attempts to be among his team’s brightest spots.